Malacañang on Friday commended the development of a groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) tool designed to detect fake news on the social media platform Facebook easily.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. emphasized the urgent need for robust mechanisms to counter misinformation and disinformation in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro praised the AI fact-checking tool, Tunai, noting that it aligns with the President’s commitment to fighting fake news and ensuring the protection of Filipinos in the online space.
“Gumagamit ng artificial intelligence at naka-embed mismo sa Facebook ang fact-checking tool na ito. Kaya ito, kaya nitong maispatan (spot) ang fake news in real time, ma-verify ang facts at ituro ang mga user sa legitimate news sources,” said Castro.
Tunai emerged victorious among the 17 teams that competed in the first-ever OpenGov Hackathon, hosted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), held on May 22, 2025.
The breakthrough app was developed by Bryl Lim and his team at PocketDevs.
Tunai was designed to shield Filipinos, especially those in rural communities, from disinformation by providing fast and intelligent responses to misleading online content.
This innovation was endorsed by DICT Secretary Henry Aguda, who described it as a “world-class innovation of Filipino talent.”
“Ayon sa DICT, patunay ang paglikha sa tunay sa talento ng mga Pilipino at kakayahan natin isulong ang katotohanan sa pamamagitan ng mga teknolohiyang ito,” said Castro.
On its website, the DICT said Tunai’s success reflects the Marcos administration’s push for a digitally empowered, transparent, and citizen-focused Bagong Pilipinas. | PND
